Re: [Rollei] Perspective and The GG Attachment

["Richard Knoppow" <dickburk >]

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Goldstein" <egoldste  >
To: <rollei  
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 8:51 AM
Subject: [Rollei] Perspective and The GG Attachment


> Ed Meyers suggests that the Rollei GG/Plate back
attachment was the
> factory's answer to the Paramender...
>
> If indeed they were thinking that Ed, I doubt they ever
actually used it.
> You could shoot a view camera faster that a TLR with one
of these, and that
> was really not the point of the Rolleis "in practical
use"...
>
> Now, with cut film largely gone, they are practically
useless in the
> field...
>
>
> Eric Goldstein
>
  I suspect the plate back had two intended applications.
One was to make possible the use of early color films which
were of the additive type using a reseau of colored dots or
stripes coated on the back side of the plate. Agfa,
Autocolor, and others made such plates.
  The other reason was for scientific photography, i.e.,
through a microscope or for macro work, or for document
copying. The reflex finder would not have been used at all
for these applications.
  Attachments to allow direct viewing through the taking
lens were available for both Leica and Contax cameras. The
adaptor consisted of some sort of bracket which mounted both
lens and camera. The camera could be slid aside to put a
ground glass behind the lens, much like the rackover on some
motion picture cameras. This sort of thing works OK for
static images.
  Cut film is not "almost gone", its still available in
several types, especially color film. What has gone are the
plethora of sizes sheet film was once available in. Mostly
one finds 4x5 and 8x10. 5x7 is available but is special
order. Ilford still makes a couple of types in 2-1/4 x
3-1/4. For other sizes you must go to someone like Film for
Classics, or cut down larger sizes. Kodak still makes plates
but they emulsion types are limited. T-Max 100 is available
along with specialized scientific plates. I believe they are
available in 4x5 and 8x10. The Rollei plate adaptor used a
rather odd size to begin with. One could probably make film
sheaths for the plate holders to take either 2x3 sheet film
or 120 roll film. I am not sure what size the Rollei factory
sheaths used.
  Some of the adaptors for specialized use seem to me to be
like providing an attachment for a hammer so that it can be
used as a saw.

- ---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk  

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